Boosted by returning big guns, Munster had a brilliant tour of South Africa

AS A POWERFUL wind buffeted the makeshift media tent at Northampton’s ground earlier this month, Graham Rowntree spoke confidently about his belief that Munster would bounce back and have better days in the near future.

The strategy of playing the Bulls at altitude in Pretoria and then flying for two hours back down to sea level for a week of training in Cape Town before returning to the Highveld just before the game against Lions in Johannesburg worked. The use of number eight Gavin Coombes off the bench in both games is the obvious example. He’s always a starter for Munster but he was a punchy replacement against the Bulls and Lions, with Jack O’Donoghue impressing in the number eight shirt before making way.

But in South Africa, they kicked more than usual, particularly against the Lions when they had 32 kicks in play – a big jump on their average of 22. When they weren’t contesting kicks in the air or attacking breakdowns off the back of them, Rowntree’s men were happy to kick the ball off the pitch, ensuring they maintained as much physical energy as possible at altitude.

Peter O'Mahony celebrates. SteveHaagSports / Steve Haag/INPHO SteveHaagSports / Steve Haag/INPHO / Steve Haag/INPHO

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